From [George Whitefield] in London to Tiverton, Devon [the home of Charles's older brother Samuel]. God be praised for allowing Charles to reach the end of his journey safely. He hopes that Charles's sickness and that of his brother [Samuel] will not prove fatal. They never forget Charles in their midnight intercessions and are sure that they are remembered in return.
Whitefield is pleased that Charles intends travelling with him this time [back to the North American colony of Georgia]. May God make them 'instruments of driving the devil out of the dark regions of America'. The trustees [of the colony] have allowed Whitefield £23 to purchase necessaries, but God has provided him with so many presents from various friends that he does not need so much - 'O that I may always chuse a voluntary poverty! Floret hic Evangelium'.
He preached nine times last week and almost £80 was collected for the 'charity children'. Two [Anglican] ministers have preached in opposition, but the more they stand against him, the more people follow Whitefield.
[Benjamin] Ingham continues doing good and brave work in Osset, Yorkshire, in the face of opposition.
[John Wesley] has been the subject of a complaint to the trustees for refusing the sacrament to the governor's daughter [Sophia Hopkey] (Whitefield thinks). This is because she married 'without being asked in the church' [the reading of the bans]. The trustees very rightly commended him for his stand.
Miss Delamotte is very well. Whitefield is leaving for Blendon [Blendon Hall near Bexley in Kent] shortly. Mrs Delamotte has heard him preach and is very kindly disposed towards him.
He hears more and more about the success of his own ministry - 'Many are convicted, some I believe converted & hundreds confirmed & strengthened. O pray these mercies may make me humble...'
At the bottom of the letter is a brief note from James Hutton re spiritual matters. Reference is made to Mr Horne and Mr Spilsbury
[Annotated by Charles Wesley - 'G Whitfield breaking forth. A scrap from loving Jam. Hutton'.]
[Shorthand annotations by Charles Wesley]
[ The reference in the above to John Wesley refusing the sacrament to a young woman in Georgia, refers to the well- known Sophia Hopkey affair. She was the ward of the chief magistrate of Savannah and enjoyed a close relationship with Wesley, which on his part resulted in serious consideration of marriage. The relationship cooled and she married someone else, without going through the formality of having the bans read in church. John Wesley thereupon refused her the sacraments, causing a major uproar in the colony. The dispute was instrumental in Wesley's decision to return to England. Source: Encyclopedia of World Methodism (1974)]
The Delamotte family of Kent were close friends of the Wesleys. Charles Delamotte (1714-1796) was John Wesley's servant during the voyage to Georgia in 1735. He later became a Moravian but remained on cordial terms with the Wesleys.
Charles's brother William (1717-1743) was the first Methodist at Cambridge University. He also subsequently joined the Moravians and worked alongside Benjamin Ingham in Yorkshire. Source: Encyclopedia of World Methodism (1974)
Reference is made to one Brother Horne being a member of the association which met at the 'Tabernacle house' [Whitefield's Tabernacle Chapel] in London in December 1745. No further information available. Source: Two Calvinistic Methodist Chapels 1743-1811 (1975), edited by Edwin Welch, document 60